Oasis of the Seas - Royal Caribbean International Royal Caribbean International You're Seeking BIG Adventure. You've Found It. 7 2,384 CREW TO SERVE YOU Oasis of the Seas isn't a ship for the sit-back-and-cruise set. It's a destination for bold explorers, with whole neighborhoods that await your discovery. Show adventure who's boss at the Pool and Sports Zone, take a spin on the classic carousel at the Boardwalk, or discover seven nights of excitement at Entertainment Place. From ziplining to surfing, dining discoveries to DreamWorks characters onboard – this is a ship where anything is possible. Zip line 82 feet across and nine decks up Ice-skating rink Two 43-foot high rock-climbing walls Main Pool Six-course seasonal menu at 150 Central Park, by James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz Chops Grille American steakhouse Sabor Taqueria and Tequila Bar Izumi Hibachi and Sushi Royal Caribbean Cruise: RCCL Oasis of the Seas tour and review w/LOFT SUITES and other sub focuses - YouTube Close Royal Caribbean Cruise: RCCL Oasis of the Seas tour and review w/LOFT SUITES and other sub focuses Want to watch this again later?

Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jan 7, 2015 Connoisseur Traveler presents a tour and review of the Oasis class, in this instance the "Oasis of the Seas." She is a spectacular cruise ship with amenities unique to Royal Caribbean, including 7 themed neighborhoods, water surfing on the FlowRider, fine dining in Central Park – featuring a James Beard Award winning chef – and by far one of the best concierge team we have experienced thus far. Overall, we awarded this ship 4.7 stars. Our accommodations in the Loft Suites are the best we have experienced thus far at sea; we do highly recommend the Loft Suites as they come with many perks, including private key card access to the Suite floor, key card access to the stunning and social Concierge Lounge, where complimentary wine/beer and appetizers are served, as well as access to the VIP Sun Deck with its VIP exclusive bar and personalized service for Suite, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members only.

Our last three inspections of the Oasis class were in the Loft Suites, which we find to be highly consistent. The Loft Suites primarily cater to couples and professionals. I observed very few children/families in these suites, which added a nice touch of privacy. Overall, I loved the Oasis’ new relaxed dining concept (eat when you want and where you want), and as a Suite Guest or Pinnacle member, you will always be seated at any restaurant at anytime by working with the Concierge. The Cabanas at Labadee offer personalized service. Personally, I prefer the ones over the water, as opposed to the beach area. I took a underwater scooter to enjoy snorkeling in that area. In Jamaica, The horseback ride on the beach is fantastic operated by a legendary Polo family naturally called “Chukka”. This is available for even beginner riders. This is one of the better shore excursions on Jamaica in our opinion that includes a mixture of the beach, and riding with the horses into the ocean which is a blast! The cuisine is by far the best we have experienced on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines… and it’s getting better each time.

The biggest pluses are the 20+ dining options, and Central Park 150 was a true destination unto itself. We enjoyed the lessons we experienced on Flowrider on the aft of the ship. We recommend this. Departing from the ship on the last day of the cruise was very easy also. We like that the Concierge is able to arrange your flight boarding passes and luggage transfer direct to the airport, with everything automatically checked in after the end of the cruise on the last day. No worries of finding your luggage on the pier was a relief. We know you will enjoy the Oasis class ships… and we hope to earn your booking: Titanic times five: Oasis of the Seas aims to leave cruise rivals in huge wake | Travel | The Guardian Cruises Titanic times five: Oasis of the Seas aims to leave cruise rivals in huge wake World's largest cruise liner Oasis of the Seas – with central park, half-mile perimeter and 2,291 staff – set for first public voyage Oasis of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, off the Florida coast.

Photograph: Joe Skipper/Reuters Tim Adams Wednesday 25 November 2009 08.14 EST First published on Wednesday 25 November 2009 08.14 EST Close This article is 7 years old At dock in its vast custom-made port in Fort Lauderdale, Florida , the Oasis of the Seas gives you little clue that you are looking at an ocean-going vessel. The dozen above-deck storeys of the world's largest cruise liner, with their identical rows of curved glass balconies, make it all but indistinguishable from the high-rise condos and office blocks that line the coast road south from Miami. On board, the illusion is heightened. This is a ship designed to appear anything but. It has at its heart a central park bigger than a football pitch and recently planted with 12,000 trees and shrubs. Contained on all sides by the steep stacks of cabins, the park is crossed by stone-paved paths and walkways leading to cafes and bars. Sitting outside any of them, it is hard to feel anything other than landlocked.

The ship is sold as an urban experience, a city on the ocean, and on a preview voyage out towards the Caribbean that is what most people seemed to enjoy: getting a cappuccino in one of the ship's seven distinct "neighbourhoods" and indulging in some serious consumption. How big is big? Five times the tonnage of the Titanic, the Oasis is longer than any aircraft carrier in the US fleet. It is half as big again as the O2 centre. Stand it on its end and it would look down on Canary Wharf's towers. There is no accessible place on the ship from which you can view both its bow and stern, so once you are aboard you have to find your own ways to understand its scale. You can jog its perimeter, each lap almost half a mile. You can harness yourself into a zipwire and fly nine storeys above the main deck. Or you can attempt the world's most meandering offshore pub crawl: 37 bars and restaurants spread over 16 levels, including an English theme pub, in which smoking is allowed. The Oasis, which is owned by Royal Caribbean International, makes its maiden public voyage next week.

It will typically carry 5,400 passengers (though the capacity is upwards of 6,000), served by 2,291 staff: 40% bigger than any other "megaliner" in the expanding cruise market. Because of its size, there are very few ports at which it can dock; the shipping line has confronted this difficulty by creating its own "resort destination" in Haiti, a purpose-built docking station called Labadee; and the Jamaican government has invested heavily in upgrading the harbour at Falmouth, in Jamiaca, to allow it to discharge passengers there. Excluding these efforts, at a cost of £800m the Oasis is the most expensive commercial vessel ever constructed. It was built in Finland, and sailed into Florida last month. In order to leave the Baltic, its stumpy funnel had to be retracted and the ship was required to travel extremely slowly, so that it sat low in the water. Even so, it only just scraped underneath the Great Belt Fixed Link bridge, 65 metres (213ft) over the water, by about 50cm. Crossing the Atlantic, the ship's stability was tested in a near hurricane-force storm.

Given its towering superstructure, the Oasis had to be of an unprecedented width to prevent it being top heavy – the park at its centre is there to help with balance, as much as anything. It is by no means a sleek craft. It is also sailing very much against the economic current. Royal Caribbean has been the prime mover in the ongoing arms race of liner size, mostly played out in the docks of Miami, where the US cruise industry is based. This decade, the company has three times created the world's largest passenger ship. Up to now, this biggest-is-best philosophy has always worked. The Oasis was planned well before the global economic downturn, however. And that downturn has hit Florida particularly hard. The ship is not yet fully booked for next year's voyages, but Royal Caribbean expects it to carry 40% of the line's British passengers. After the Titanic, no one is going to claim that the biggest liner in the world is unsinkable. But its owners are no doubt trusting that the Oasis of the Seas is too big to fail. Ship stats The Oasis of the Seas can carry a maximum of 6,292 passengers plus crew of up to 2,291.

Its 16 passenger decks contain four pools and 10 whirlpools, a rock-climbing wall, a basketball court, a miniature golf course, an ice skating rink, a shopping promenade, a fairground carousel, a central park with 12,000 live plants and trees, and a 1,380-seat theatre. It has 37 bars and restaurants, 4,100 toilets, 42 lifts and 4,500 air conditioning units. Seven-night cruises start at $1,049 (£628) per person for an inside cabin and go to $16,659 per person for the two-storey Royal Loft suite, which includes a baby grand piano and private 843 sq ft balcony. • In the Observer this Sunday: Tim Adams's verdict on the world's biggest passenger ship • This article was amended on 26 November 2009. The original said that the liner was expected to carry 40% of Britain's 1 million-plus cruise passengers. This has been corrected. The difference between two passenger-capacity figures has also been clarified.

Oasis of the Seas ‘the cruise ship to end cruise ships’ Oasis of the Seas ‘the cruise ship to end cruise ships’ September 24, 2014 Feature Articles Oasis for the Seas comes to Europe for the first time this year and it has been described by one reviewer as “the cruise ship to end cruise ships”. Thousands of people travel on the cruise liner, with a further 2,000 staff members and crew tasked with making sure passengers enjoy the trip of a lifetime. Oasis of the Seas is essentially a travelling city and writing for the Daily Telegraph, Max Davidson noted it is only inches away from being the largest cruise ship in the world. Operated by Royal Caribbean , his trip on Oasis of the Seas was a Caribbean cruise from Florida that stopped in locations such as Labadee, Jamaica and Cozumel in Mexico.

Mr Davidson wrote: “But it was not memories of Mexico or Jamaica or Haiti that lingered as I boarded the plane home from Florida: it was memories of people having a ball.” Oasis of the Seas is great for families, with facilities including fun in the H20 Zone and the DreamWorks Experience, but adults are not left out, with a cinema and casino among the countless amenities on board for adult entertainment. The first European trip for Oasis of the Seas will start on September 5th, with the cruise liner setting out for a five-night trip around the Western Mediterranean with stops in Rome and Naples. Would you travel on the Oasis of the Seas? Oasis Of The Seas the world's largest cruise ship sails into the UK for the first time | Daily Mail Online comments The world's largest cruise ship arrived in the UK today for the first time. The £800m Oasis Of The Seas sailed into Southampton at 10am on Wednesday in dense fog, welcomed by a crowd of hundreds and helicopters circling overhead.

Weighing 225,282 tonnes, the 1,187ft ship is longer than London's The Shard is tall, and at 208ft wide, larger than the wingspan of a Boeing 747. Scroll down for video Mammoth: The world's largest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, sails into Southampton this morning Spectacle: Crowds gathered to welcome the 225,282 tonne vessel arrive under dense fog Passengers will be boarding all afternoon and it leaves Southampton for Vigo, Spain, and Fort Lauderale, Florida, tonight. The Royal Caribbean cruise ship is 40 per cent larger than any other vessel to ever dock in the UK, and has the capacity to house 5,400 passengers and 2,394 crew.

RELATED ARTICLES 630,000 gallons of paint needed to decorate it 2,300 tons of water in its swimming pools 12,000 plants on board including hundreds of palm trees 3,300 miles of electrical cables to keep the lights in its 2,700 cabins blazing Spread across its 16 decks is an outdoor park with more than 12,000 real plants and trees, an 82-foot long zip wire, and the largest pool on the seas. There is also a 750-seater arena, ice rink, surf machines, a high-diving performance venue and an elevating bar. Onlookers this morning were kept in good spirits despite the grey weather with free tea and bacon sandwiches offered by Royal Caribbean. It is a busy time for Southampton, with another Royal Caribbean ship, Quantum Of The Seas, expected to dock in just over a fortnight to be showcased. The first in a series of new ships coming from Royal Caribbean International over the next few years, Quantum of the Seas will sail from Southampton to New York on 2 November 2014.

In 2015 Quantum Of The Seas will become the newest ship from a global cruise line to ever be based in the Far East when it offers cruises from Shanghai starting in June 2015. Fanfare: Oasis' sister ship, Quantum of the Seas, will also be arriving in Southampton in just two weeks Short stay: Oasis of the Seas will only be in port for one day before departing for the US Celebration: Onlookers this morning were offered free tea and bacon sandwiches as they watched the spectacle Guzzler: The ship uses 2,350,000 litres of water every day Selfie moment: Onlookers posed for pictures in front of the vessel as it docked Tight squeeze: On its maiden voyage, the ship is pictured lowering its smokestacks to squeeze under the Great Belt Bridge Dominic Paul, the senior vice president of Royal Caribbean International, said: 'Today is an important milestone in the global expansion of the Royal Caribbean International business. 'We are marking a significant step change in our investment into growth markets around the world.

'The welcome of Oasis of the Seas to Southampton is followed next year by sister ship Allure of the Seas sailing outside the Caribbean for the first time during a summer 2015 season based in Barcelona. 'These investments highlight our commitment to deliver the most innovative and architecturally advanced ships to Europe and are part of our ongoing effort to redefine the cruise sector. 'Our extensive investments into new ships, new technology and new ideas are increasing the appeal of the cruise sector around the world.' Oasis of the Seas Luxury Cruise Liner - Ship Technology The area which became the Central Park. Oasis of the Seas Luxury Cruise Liner Oasis of the Seas is the first of the Oasis Class (formerly the Genesis Class or project Genesis) luxury cruise ships in the Royal Caribbean International fleet. The ship was ordered in February 2006 and the keel was laid in December 2007. It entered service in December 2009.

The 16-deck ship, which had an estimated build cost of $1.24bn, is the largest cruise ship afloat with a tonnage of 220,000gt (43% more than the Freedom Class ships) and a double occupancy capacity of 5,400 passengers in 2,700 state rooms. The ship was built in the Aker Yards at Turku, in Finland, and followed by its sister vessel, Allure of the Seas, which entered service in November 2010. Royal Caribbean International took delivery of the Oasis of the Seas from STX Europe on 28 October 2009 in Turku. On 2 November the ship passed through the Solent and made a brief stop on the UK's south coast, en route from Finland, before it prepared to cross the Atlantic. The official naming ceremony for the Oasis of the Seas took place on 30 November. In December, a four-night launch celebration began before leaving Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on 5 December.

Finnish Export Credit, a unit of Finnvera, financed 40% of the ship's cost, while BNP Paribas, Nordea Bank and SEB each financed 20%. Royal Caribbean ordered the third Oasis class cruise ship in December 2012. The new vessel is being built at STX France's St. Nazaire shipyard. The steel cutting for the $1.3bn vessel was held in September 2013. The new vessel, touted to become the world's largest cruise ship, is scheduled for delivery in mid-2016. Companies involved in designing Oasis of the Seas Initial ship design began in 2004-05 and included a number of designers and architects, such as Atkins Global, NB&D, RTKL, Waterfield Design Group and Wilson Butler Architects.

Technical information and facilities for the luxury cruise liner "The AquaTheatre is an outdoor venue at the stern of the ship near the Boardwalk neighbourhood." The vessel has an overall length of 1,181ft (360m), a beam of 154ft (47m), a height above the waterline of 213ft (65m) and a draft of 30ft (9m). The ship is powered by eight Wartsila V12 diesel engines generating 17,500hp each. The main propulsion system consists of three 20MW azimuthing Asea Brown Boveri Azipods, to give the ship a cruising speed of 20.2kt. Oasis has the distinction of being the largest commercial ship to be constructed. Aside from the normal range of bars and restaurants, the ship has a number of facilities never before seen on a cruise ship.

Features include a full size carousel (27 figures), zip-line cable (nine decks high), Central Park, two rock climbing walls and the AquaTheatre amphitheatre (the largest freshwater pool on any cruise ship), as well as the Rising Tide bar which moves up and down three decks in Central Park. The ship is divided into seven neighbourhoods with different themes, including Central Park, Boardwalk (reminiscent of a seaside pier) and the Royal Promenade. Open air Central Park 'neighbourhood' onboard The open-air Central Park occupies the centre of the ship and forms a unique public gathering place including pathways, flower gardens and a canopy of trees. The central piazza is a multipurpose space for alfresco dining, entertainment, concerts and street performances. The Central Park neighbourhood is lined with 334 staterooms (254 with balconies) rising five decks high, offering views of the park. Restaurants include: 150 Central Park, the Central Park Café (picnic lunches), Antonio's Table (Italian restaurant), Vintages wine bar, Chops Grille steakhouse, the Canopy Bar and the unique Rising Tide bar.

The park also hosts two glass-arched domes, called the Crystal Canopies, which provide natural light for the inside decks of the ship. Central Park also has a range of boutique shops, a chess garden, a pergola garden and a sculpture garden. AquaTheatre (the largest freshwater pool on any cruise ship) The AquaTheatre is an outdoor venue at the stern of the ship near the Boardwalk neighbourhood. The amphitheatre space offers a kidney-shaped pool (swimming and scuba diving) and sun loungers on tiered platforms. "Royal Caribbean International took delivery of the Oasis of the Seas from STX Europe on 28 October 2009 in Turku." At night, the pool can be used for performances such as acrobatics, synchronised swimming, water ballet and high-diving, as well as fountain shows. The AquaTheatre pool has a dimension of 21.9ft by 51.6ft, with a depth of 17.9ft. There are three-stage machinery devices to raise or lower its depth for different usage and three lifts for multilevel performances. Underwater cameras can film performances and project the images on two giant Barco LED screens around the stage.

There are also two diving towers, two spring boards and two 10m-high dive platforms, as well as a trampoline between the dive towers. A trapeze is built on rear side of the high dive boards. Trapeze artistes seem to climb the curtain of water. Accommodation available of Oasis of the Seas cruiser Related project Allure of the Seas - Cruise Ship, United States of America MS Allure of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world. The ship has an enormous range of accommodation including suites, family suites and staterooms. However, a new concept introduced on Oasis is the loft suite. There are 25 of these two level accommodation spaces (crown lofts) with private balconies and floor space of around 51 square metres (545 square feet). In the lofts are 52in LCD televisions, two bathrooms, fog free mirrors, and limestone tiles. There are also three other types of loft.

The Royal Loft Suite (1,524 square feet) can accommodate six people, has its own baby grand piano, inside and outside dining room, private wet bar, whirlpool, library and 843 square feet (78.3 square metre) balcony. The two corner Sky Loft Suites are larger than the standard lofts giving up to 770 square feet of floor space, a separate dining room and spacious balcony. There are also two accessible crown lofts, which are slightly larger than the standard and with better access for disabled passengers. Related content Oasis of the Seas Cruise Ship: Expert Review on Cruise Critic Oasis of the Seas Overview Cruise Critic By Chris Gray Faust, Senior Editor Editor Rating 4.5 One of the largest ships in the world -- the one that kicked off the equation of bigger equals better when it launched in 2009 -- Oasis of the Seas makes an impression even before you board. Dwarfing its counterparts at Port Everglades, the mega-ship looms like a condo building or perhaps an office park.

The this-can't-be-a-ship effect continues as you board; lined with shops like Michael Kors, Kate Spade and Starbucks -- and most importantly, no outside windows -- the ship's Royal Promenade gives the impression of a hectic mall, rather than a cruise ship. And yet, Oasis of the Seas (and its sister ship, the larger-by-a-few-inches Allure of the Seas) has been enthusiastically embraced as one of Royal Caribbean's most beloved vessels. Built in 2009, the ship changed the mega-ship industry, with first-at-sea features, such as Central Park, containing more than 12,000 live plants, and an innovative design that has two large interior areas open to the sky. Even with an official capacity of 5,400 passengers, Oasis regularly sails at 100 percent or more (maximum is 6,450), at a premium price point for the line. Its onboard attractions are so popular that up to 30 percent of the passengers never get off the ship in port. So what makes Oasis of the Seas work better than other large ships?

The secret is its neighborhoods, which carve the ship up into manageable pieces and keep bottlenecks to a minimum. The Boardwalk, designed as a nod to Coney Island, with two rock climbing walls and a carousel, feeds naturally into the aft deck sports and activity area several decks above, where you find the FlowRider surf simulator, the basketball court, the mini-golf course, a table tennis area and a short zipline. The teen clubs are also in this area; if you're traveling as a family, you'll likely spend a lot of time in this part of the ship. Meanwhile, at the front of the ship, you'll find the Solarium, a two-story complex of loungers, hot tubs and pools for passengers 16 and older. Serenity continues a few decks below with Central Park and culminates with the Vitality Spa and Fitness Center. These areas of the ship seem remarkably kid-free. A 2014 dry dock gave Oasis a refresh, and some of the changes may seem confusing to long-time passengers. The huge Opus Dining Room was divided into three separate main dining rooms, each with a different name and decor, in anticipation of a Dynamic Dining program that was never implemented.

Suite passengers received private restaurants Coastal Kitchen, an airy Suite Lounge and private sun deck. Ten new suites were also added. Izumi, the popular hibachi joint, received an expansion. On the Boardwalk, Sabor -- a for-fee Mexican cantina -- opened, with an accompanying tequila bar. Hot dogs replaced doughnuts, and cupcakes were relegated to a case in Cups & Scoops. An increased focus on shopping led to boutiques for Michael Kors, Kate Spade and (in 2015) Tiffany's. Cruising on a ship this size does come with certain requirements. If you want to see the shows and entertainment, you must book online in advance, as the theaters are simply not big enough to hold everyone. If you enjoy specialty dining, you'll want to make those reservations in advance, too. (However, most venues hold a certain number of seats open for walk-in customers and many were rarely crowded.) To really have a good time on the ship, you might also have to adjust your onboard behavior. Take the buffet, Windjammer Marketplace: It's small and can get very busy during peak hours, so you're far better off choosing one of the other venues for breakfast or lunch.

(It does slow down at dinner.) My Time Dining fans can find themselves waiting 20 minutes or more for a table, particularly on formal night. Good luck getting a chair by the pool on a sea day; Flow Rider lines can also get long. That being said, Oasis of the Seas has plenty of spots that don't feel crowded, particularly if you don't mind zigging when everyone else zags. Stay on the ship during a port day, and you might be the only one in the very cool infinity hot tubs. Many of the ship's signature activities, such as the zipline and FlowRider, open before the vessel leaves port, so those who make it an early day can still have a turn. Book a specialty restaurant, take a walk around the track, get a pass to the Thermal Suite -- these are all ways to make your Oasis of the Seas trip feel like it belongs to you instead of the masses. Oasis of the Seas Fellow Passengers With the Flow Riders, H2O Zone, Boardwalk and incredible age-specific children's facilities, Oasis of the Seas is an obvious choice for families. However, the ship also appeals to active couples and groups, mainly in their 30s to 50s.

While the majority of passengers hail from North America, many international travelers from Europe and South America are also onboard, with up to 2,000 in the winter months. Oasis of the Seas Dress Code Seven-night cruises have two formal nights and five casual nights; formal night is only applicable in the three main dining rooms. Although there is a tuxedo rental shop onboard, very few men choose to wear them, with dark suits or simply a sport coat and tie becoming the norm. Women are typically found in cocktail dresses, maxi sundresses or gowns. Oasis of the Seas Gratuity Royal Caribbean passengers are charged $13.50 per person, per day ($16.50 for those in suites). Gratuities can be prepaid or will be added on a daily basis to passengers' SeaPass accounts during the cruise. Passengers can modify or remove gratuities by visiting the guest services desk while onboard. An 18 percent gratuity is automatically added to bar tabs and spa treatments. The onboard currency is the U.S. dollar, and currency exchange is available at Guest Services. Oasis of the Seas is a great ship with a very friendly staff. Excellent food.

jwb0817 01/17 I really wanted to see St. Thomas and St. Maarten from a cruise. Nassau was a bonus. I had traveled by air to all three places before more than once. The cruise allowed a good amount of time in each port for a day and it was very nice to visit ... Read more Mega ships reduce quality Otholee 12/16 This was my 23rd cruise (cruised 10 other times on other lines) with Royal Caribbean which was always my favorite line. However, I am sorry I decided to take a Mega ship this year and because of our experience, I will never take another Mega ship ... Read more BIG BIG BOAT xutar 12/16 We chose this ship because it was sailing on New Year's Eve. It was festively decorated for the occasion. Pros: Getting on and off the ship was flawless! For the ship to be as big as it is, it was seamless. There is plenty to do on the ... Read more Too Big to Sail? Cruise Ships Face Scrutiny - The New York Times The New York Times Business Day |Too Big to Sail?

Cruise Ships Face Scrutiny Search Continue reading the main story Photo Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas has 2,706 rooms, as well as a shopping mall, a casino and a water park. Credit Peter W. Cross for The New York Times One of the largest cruise ships in 1985 was the 46,000-ton Carnival Holiday. Ten years ago, the biggest, the Queen Mary 2, was three times as large. Today’s record holders are two 225,000-ton ships whose displacement, a measure of a ship’s weight, is about the same as that of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. Cruise ships keep growing bigger, and more popular. The Cruise Lines International Association said that last year its North American cruise line members carried about 17 million passengers, up from seven million in 2000. But the expansion in ship size is worrying safety experts, lawmakers and regulators, who are pushing for more accountability, saying the supersize craze is fraught with potential peril for passengers and crew. “Cruise ships operate in a void from the standpoint of oversight and enforcement,” said James E.

Hall, a safety management consultant and the chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board between 1994 and 2001. “The industry has been very fortunate until now.” The perils were most visible last year when the Costa Concordia , owned by the Carnival Corporation, which is based in Miami, capsized off the coast of Italy. The accident killed 32 people and revealed fatal lapses in safety and emergency procedures. Continue reading the main story In February, a fire crippled the Carnival Triumph , stranding thousands without power for four days in the Gulf of Mexico until the ship was towed to shore. Another blaze forced Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas to a port in the Bahamas in May. Pictures showed the ship’s stern blackened by flames and smoke. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Although most have not resulted in any casualties, the string of accidents and fires has heightened concerns about the ability of megaships to handle emergencies or large-scale evacuations at sea. Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Democrat of West Virginia, introduced legislation this summer that would strengthen federal oversight of cruise lines’ safety procedures and consumer protections. Cruise operators point out that bigger ships have more fire safety equipment, and contend they are safer.

After a fire aboard the Carnival Splendor three years ago, Carnival adopted new training procedures and added safety features that it says helped with the rapid detection and suppression of the fire on the Triumph. After the Triumph fire, Carnival also announced it would spend $700 million to improve its safety operations, including $300 million on its fleet of 24 Carnival Cruise Lines ships. Carnival is the largest cruise operator, owning about half of all cruise ships worldwide. “We have over time improved the safety of our vessels by better training and better technology and learning from incidents that have happened over the years,” said Mark Jackson, Carnival’s vice president for technical operations, who joined the company in January after 24 years with the Coast Guard. Some experts doubt that ships can grow much larger than the current behemoths, marvels of naval engineering that combine the latest technology and entertainment. Today’s biggest ship, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, has 2,706 rooms, 16 decks, 22 restaurants, 20 bars and 10 hot tubs, as well as a shopping mall, a casino, a water park, a half-mile track, a zip line, mini golf and Broadway-style live shows.

It can accommodate nearly 6,300 passengers and 2,394 crew members — the equivalent of a small town towering over the clear blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. It measures 1,188 feet long. Its sister ship, the Oasis of the Seas, is two inches shorter. Video Raising the Costa Concordia Engineers in Giglio, Italy, have righted the Costa Concordia cruise liner, 20 months after a wreck that killed 32 people. Publish Date September 16, 2013. by Vincenzo Pinto/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images. Watch in Times Video » embed Experts point out that larger ships have larger challenges. For instance, they have fewer options in an emergency, said Michael Bruno, dean of the engineering school at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., and former chairman of the National Research Council’s Marine Board. “Given the size of today’s ships, any problem immediately becomes a very big problem,” he said. “I sometimes worry about the options that are available.” A recent report by the Coast Guard on the Splendor fire revealed glaring problems with the crew’s firefighting abilities as well as failures in fire safety equipment.

Advertisement Continue reading the main story The investigation did not address the size of the ship, which carried 3,299 passengers. But it showed that big vessels can quickly become crippled by small fires that disable complex systems. No passengers were hurt, but the damage to the engine room was severe, disabling the ship’s power and forcing it to be towed to port in San Diego. The investigation found a wide range of problems with the engine’s maintenance history as well as missing fire safety records. No fire drills had been conducted in the engine room for six months. Emergency sprinklers were turned off by mistake and then doused the wrong parts of the engine room. Believing the fire had been contained, the captain vented the engine room to clear out the smoke. He reignited the fire instead. These incidents have brought new attention to the behavior of cruise operators. Rear Adm.

Joseph Servidio, the Coast Guard’s assistant commandant for prevention policy, said at a Senate hearing in July that the three fires, including the one aboard the Splendor, “highlight serious questions about the design, maintenance and operation of fire safety equipment on board these vessels, as well as their companies’ safety management cultures.” Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Privacy Policy In July, the Coast Guard said cruise ships would need to conduct periodic engine-room fire drills. The risks of building bigger ships became apparent over a decade ago, as cruise companies pushed the limits of naval architecture. The head of the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations agency in charge of marine regulations, warned in 2000 of the growing hazards of building larger ships and called for a comprehensive review of safety rules, known as Safety of Life at Sea, or Solas. William O’Neil, the group’s secretary general at the time, said the industry could not “rely on luck holding indefinitely.” One result was a set of new global regulations in 2010 called the Safe Return to Port rules.

Those require new ships to have sufficient redundant systems, including power and steerage, to allow them to return to port even in the worst emergency. Only about 10 ships built since then comply with this new rule. “The idea is that a ship is its own best lifeboat,” said John Hicks, the vice president for global passenger ships at Lloyds Register, the largest ship classification society. “The idea is to do everything to keep the crew and passengers on a vessel.” Bud Darr, the senior vice president for technical and regulatory affairs at the Cruise Lines International Association, the industry’s trade group, said today’s ships operated under layers of oversight. Photo The Costa Concordia, owned by the Carnival Corporation, capsized off the coast of Italy last year, killing 32 people. Credit Italian Guardia di Finanza, via Reuters The Coast Guard inspects each ship that calls at United States ports at least once a year and enforces national and international norms. Private auditors, hired by cruise operators, perform frequent safety reviews, including comprehensive annual checks that last seven to 10 days, he said, and flag countries like the Bahamas or Panama, where most cruise ships are registered, provide their own oversight.

“We are subject to very close scrutiny,” Mr. Darr said. “The standards are universal.” But incidents like the Costa Concordia grounding have raised questions about whether evacuation regulations are still applicable in the age of megaships. Under the Solas regulations, for instance, passengers grouped at their muster stations must be able to evacuate on lifeboats within 30 minutes of an evacuation alarm. Advertisement Continue reading the main story The investigation into the Costa Concordia revealed that the crew and its captain failed to sound the general evacuation alarm for more than an hour after rocks had breached the hull. As a result, some lifeboats could not be lowered once the ship started to list. After the accident, cruise operators said they would change muster drill procedures. Instead of holding a drill for passengers within 24 hours of departure, cruise ships said they would do so before ships leave a port. While ships are becoming bigger, the burden on crew members is growing. The Queen Elizabeth 2, which was launched in 1969, had one crew member for about 1.8 passengers. On the Triumph, the ratio was one crew member for every 2.8 passengers.

The issue is also complicated by language and communication problems, and a high crew turnover rate that can reach 35 percent a year. The International Transport Workers’ Federation, which represents seafarers and crew members, has expressed concerns about the evacuation time and suggested the need to limit the number of people aboard ships, depending on where they operate and what search-and-rescue facilities are available. “Experience has cast doubt on the adequacy of existing lifesaving appliances,” the group said in a report. “The current equipment, especially lifeboats and life rafts, has proved to be inadequate when confronted with high sea states.” Safety rules also state that lifeboats should not carry more than 150 people. But the two largest ships, the Allure of the Seas and the Oasis of the Seas, have much bigger lifeboats, for 370 people, because of a provision of the 2010 rules that allows for exemptions if the cruise line can demonstrate an equivalent level of safety. Those bigger lifeboats have only enough room for passengers. To evacuate the more than 2,300 crew members, the ships are equipped with inflatable rafts that would have to be entered through 59-foot evacuation chutes.

“The simple problem is they are building them too big and putting too many people aboard,” said Capt. William H. Doherty, a former safety manager for Norwegian Cruise Lines, the world’s third-largest cruise operator, and now the director of maritime relations at the Nexus Consulting Group. “My answer is they probably exceeded the point of manageability.” He added, “The magnitude of the problem is much bigger than the cruise industry wants to acknowledge.” A version of this article appears in print on October 28, 2013, on Page B1 of the New York edition with the headline: Too Big To Sail?. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe Top 10 most expensive cruise ships - Ship Technology The Liberty of the Seas cruise ship entered into service in 2007. Top 10 most expensive cruise ships Royal Caribbean International is by far and away the leader when it comes to the world's most expensive cruise ships, operating most of the top 10, including the whopping Allure and Oasis of the Seas. Ship-technology.com presents the costliest cruise ships ever built. Allure of the Seas Allure of the Seas is the most expensive cruise ship in operation.

It is the latest cruise ship in the Oasis class, owned by Royal Caribbean International. About $1.4bn was incurred in the building this world class cruise ship. Allure of the Seas is the largest passenger ship ever constructed, stretching just two inches longer than its sister ship Oasis of the Seas. Allure of the Seas accommodates 6,296 guests as well as 2,384 crew members, and is loaded with features such as the first on-board Starbucks, a 1,380-seat theatre and ice skating rink. Oasis of the Seas The Oasis of the Seas of Royal Caribbean is the second costliest ship. The vessel entered service in December 2009. It was built by STX Europe (formerly Aker Yards) in Turku, Finland, at a cost of about $1.24bn. The Oasis of the Seas cruises Caribbean from its home port of Port Everglades in Florida. The ship offers an array of passenger features such as luxurious staterooms, a zip-line, a casino, a miniature golf course, night clubs, bars and lounges, Pool and Sports Zone, Entertainment Place and theme parks.

Norwegian Epic Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) spent approximately $1.2bn on its new cruise ship Norwegian Epic. The cruise ship truly represents the "freestyle cruising" concept introduced by NCL. The Epic accommodates 4,100 passengers served by 1,753 crew. The Norwegian Epic sails to the destinations in Caribbean and Europe. It offers more than 20 dining options, studio rooms for solo travellers and world-class live entertainment, fitness and sports facilities, aqua park, pools and hot tubs. Disney Fantasy Disney Fantasy is the fourth cruise ship in the expanding fleet of Disney Cruise Line. The ship was constructed at an estimated cost of $940m by Meyer Werft shipyards in Papenburg, Germany. The onboard facilities were exclusively designed to cater to families. The ship cruises on seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages. The 1,250 staterooms spread across the 14-deck vessel accommodate 4,000 passengers and more than 1,450 cast and crew members.

The cruise ship features a magnificent three-deck atrium lobby, sweeping grand staircase, marble and stone inlay floor, fluted columns, lavish decorative murals and paintings. Disney Dream Disney Dream owned by Disney Cruise Line cost nearly $900m to build. The cruise ship was put into service in 2011 and now sails to the Bahamas. It offers 1,250 staterooms accommodating 4,000 guests and more than 1,458 crew. The cruise ship gives a glimpse of early 20th-century design as well as cruise-industry first features such as the AquaDuck, the first water coaster at sea. Disney Dream boasts of being a true family cruise liner offering one-of-a-kind venues and experiences for each member in the family. Queen Mary 2 Queen Mary 2 (QM2) is a flagship and transatlantic ocean liner of Cunard Line. Built at a cost of more than $880m (£550m), QM2 is Cunard's only transatlantic ocean liner operating between Southampton and New York, after the retirement of Queen Elizabeth 2 in 2008.

Queen Mary 2 also sails on an annual world cruise. The transatlantic ocean liner carries 2,620 passengers and 1,238 crew members. It features 1,347-seat Britannia Restaurant, 200-seat Queen's Grill, Royal Court Theatre, Winter Garden, 14 bars and clubs and health and fitness facilities. Norwegian Breakaway The Norwegian Breakaway, launched in 2013, is a large and more innovative cruise ship owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines. Built under Project Breakaway by Meyer Werft shipyard at an estimated cost of $840m, it is the biggest cruise ship ever to home port in New York. The cruise ship has the capacity to carry 4,000 passengers and 1,595 crew. It offers an industry-first open-air space, fitness centre, mini golf, sports court, aqua park, pools and hot tubs. The Breakaway sails on seven-night cruises to Bermuda, Caribbean and the Bahamas and Florida. Independence of the Seas Independence of the Seas, owned by Royal Caribbean, is the third Freedom-class cruise ship introduced in April 2008.

The $828m ship was built by Aker Finnyards in Turku, Finland. The 15-deck ship can carry 4,370 passengers and 1,360 crew. The ship carries the Freedom-class features such as FlowRider® surf simulator, a rock climbing wall, ice-skating rink, cantilevered whirlpools, Royal Promenade and mini golf course. Freedom of the Seas Freedom of the Seas is a Freedom-class cruise ship owned by Royal Caribbean International. The 18-deck vessel was built by Kvaerner Masa-YardsIt at a cost of about $800m. The ship has the capacity to carry 4,375 guests and 1,360 crew. Freedom of the Seas operates on 7-night itineraries to western Caribbean locations. The passengers onboard can experience Royal Caribbean's unique features such as surf simulator, H2O Zone water park and cantilevered whirlpools. Liberty of the Seas Liberty of the Seas is another $800m Freedom class cruise ship built at Kvaerner Masa-Yards, in Turku, Finland.

The cruise ship sailed on her maiden voyage in May 2007. The ship has 15 passenger decks carrying 4,375 guests served by 1,360 crew. Liberty of the Seas has the Freedom-class ship features including 2,101-seat main dining room, Platinum Theatre, Vitality Spa & Fitness Centre, six Whirlpools and three pools, surf simulator and Ice Skating Rink. Related content

Question: The 'Oasis of the Seas' is a cruise liner operated by which company?
Answer: ROYAL CARIBBEAN